ENVI 264 - Convergence: Art/Science/Design in Our City

The large environmental challenges facing us in the 21st century are not going to be solved in one sector. We need creative collaborations and innovative experiments. Change is happening at the intersection of art, science and design. In this class we are going to learn about artists and scientists who are doing things differently and explore how they engage with people, collaborate across sectors, and change systems. We will use design thinking and prototyping to build new platforms. Together we will explore four large topic areas, bring in speakers and go on field trips across the cities. Each student will have the opportunity to design and test prototypes of their ideas in the public and bring back both their successes/challenges for the class to learn from. The class will end with collaborating on a local issue facing the City of St Paul. As a class working together we will develop a creative plan that will include working prototypes, possible funding sources and how to sustain our idea. The final idea will be present to the city for implementation. Offered occasionally. (4 Credits)